There are many, many, many free government handouts that those of us that want less government don't take or utilize even though they are there and free. You're building a strawman and declaring victory when you knock it over.
I'm not building a strawman, I was replying directly to maxie who said if he was being forced to pay, he was going to take it from the government, and why shouldn't he. No strawman there at all. If he is opposed to it, don't take it.
What if I've paid for it? There's the crux of our difference. You want free stuff you haven't paid for and I would willingly receive items for which I've already paid. And for the record, there have been times when I have been eligable for unemployment, but I've never taken unemployment. I certainly have paid for it, however. Just like when I was young, my mom qualified for food stamps, but never took them.
Great. I'm going to force you to buy a new car. Now don't use it. Would you abide by that condition? All I'm saying is if you want others to purchase a new car for you to use, you should chip in a little more.
You can easily pay for somebody that doesn't have health insurance to have it for the year. I challenge you to provide 2 individuals with health insurance for next year.
Ultimately, you're probably taking someone else's position, and labeling it to me for speaking up in this thread. I don't want free stuff I haven't paid for. Same as you, I'm happy to take stuff I have paid for. It pisses me off when people who don't need it or don't really earn it get unemployment. When money is wasted all over the place. I'm sure if most of the money being handed out didn't go through 75 organizations with no solid record keeping, they might be able to make it work a little better. So lottery winners weren't still sitting on unemployment and what not. I'm not looking for more for myself. I'm happy with what I pay for, and what I receive. I think there's areas we can do more, and areas we don't need to do as much. I don't want the government controlling all aspects of my life, same as you. So you can continue to make assumptions of what I want, and what the crux of our difference is. But I think it;s bullshit that you want one side to stand up for their principles, but you aren't willing to do the same. And actually demand a link from 3RA1N1AC for saying exactly what you're saying. Why ask for a link as if you didn't believe it was true when it's your position? If you don't think something's right, then don't participate. If I didn't want my tax dollars for some reason going to, I dunno, public schools, I wouldn't send my kid to a public school just because hey, it's free, why not?
My analogy was bad, but this one fits? Ok. carry on. If I was opposed to cars, and them being handed out, but the government took money from me to buy cars, I wouldn't take the car from them. Maybe stand up for something if I am strongly opposed to the "One car per citizen" government mandate. You take the car and bitch about it. Whatever works for you.
Using your example, the government has already taken your money to support your public school. You may not have the money left over to pay for a private school, ergo, the "choice" may be forced. I would prefer to pay for my own school; if a public school is one of the options then that's great. For those that cannot afford to educate their own children, I'm happy to pay taxes to help them.
Who is stopping you from paying for your own school? I'm sure your local public school will gratefully accept a donation. barfo
If I'm forced to purchase a car, then you bet I'll use it. Having money taken and spent for you then not utilizing it doesn't make you noble; it makes you a sucker.
My tax dollars go to food stamps, no? I don't use food stamps. I guess I am a sucker. My tax dollars go to public schools. I do not currently send a child to school. Sucker! My tax dollars help fund the fire department, yet I have never called on them to fight a fire at my house. I am sure there are many ways my tax dollars are being used that I am not taking advantage of. I imagine you are not as well. Putting in the form of something as a car is a strawman, though I get criticized for that.
a better analogy is buying you condoms, and then introducing you to a large gay man who is going to fuck your asshole
Do you qualify for food stamps? Do you have a child that attends school and you can't afford private school? Do you wish to not have fire coverage? I guess you could quit your job and qualify for food stamps, knock someone up to send a kid to public school and set your house on fire. It's a (relatively) free country (although setting your house on fire would put you in jail). I would argue we have a sufficient social safety net. If you can't feed, clothe, house, provide health coverage or educate yourself, there are government programs to cover them. I don't mind paying for the helpless; I mind paying for those who can help themselves. For those that wish to expand the role of government, it doesn't make sense to me they wouldn't pay more for that privilege.
ok, then that has little to do with your sucker/noble comment. I am sure Icould have set myself up when I quit my job to make it so I was able to receive unemployment, food stamps, whatever. I know people who have done similar things, all which I thought were shitty. I could have definitely used the extra money. I did not. So that makes me a sucker for not abusing a system?
There's a difference to being taxed to have a social safety net and to being taxed to just have the governmental equivalent of an $838B "making it rain" party.
Simple. I'm not an anarchist, I'm a believer in limited government. I'm happy to pay for the very basics, but don't wish for it to expand. All I asked was those who wanted a larger government, if they paid extra for the privilege, or they paid the bare minimum as do I?
